GreenSign Circular

Paving the way for the circular economy.

In view of the increasing requirements of the EU Green Deal and ESG criteria, companies will have to take additional criteria into account in future when renovating buildings, including indoor health, climate neutrality, recyclability, deconstructability and social standards.

The GreenSign Circular certification was developed in cooperation between the GreenSign Institut, RITTWEGER + TEAM and the Sentinel Haus Institut. It offers a standardised auditing process for companies, products and properties that want to make the circular economy the focus of their business activities. GreenSign Circular certification is not only suitable for hotels, but also offers investors, hoteliers and architects a clear and measurable perspective for future-proof investments. The improvement and certification system is partly based on a guideline for measuring circularity factors developed at ETH Zurich.

Other assessment criteria are based on the requirements of the EU Transition Pathways and partly on the Cradle to Cradle system. Environmental engineer Fabian Wiesler, who runs the Seehotel Wiesler in Titisee in the Black Forest together with his wife Anna Wiesler, spent months creating the calculation model for the certification.

GreenSign Institut GmbH ist ein führendes Institut für Nachhaltigkeitszertifizierung in der Hotelbranche. Mit ihrer Expertise setzt es Maßstäbe für umweltfreundliche und sozial verantwortliche Hotelbetriebe

RITTWEGER + TEAM GmbH ist ein international tätiger Impactdienstleister für regeneratives Wirtschaften. Das Unternehmen ist in den Bereichen Markenentwicklung, Nachhaltigkeitsberatung, Design, Architektur, Kommunikation und Digitalisierung tätig und verfügt über eine interdisziplinäre Arbeitskompetenz.

Sentinel Haus Institut GmbH ist mit seiner digitalen Produkt- und Dokumentationsdatenbank und dem Fokus auf gesundes und nachhaltiges Bauen ein unverzichtbarer Partner für Bauherren, Architekten und Planer. Sein Ziel ist es, Gesundheit und Nachhaltigkeit praxistauglich, bezahlbar und planbar zu machen. Sentinel Haus Institut steht für sichere Daten aus einer sicheren Datenbank und ist die erste fremdüberwachte Datenbank in Europa.

Evaluation criteria

Material health
Return
Degree of decarbonisation of product and company
Circulatory capability
Compliance with social standards
Water and biodiversity

Auditing

A GreenSign Circular Audit, including the analysis of building materials and room components via document review, assesses the conformity and effectiveness of the “circular building” concept as a whole and contributes to solving current and future material-related supply, environmental and health problems.

Die Vision eines Wegbereiters wird zur Realität.

Stephan Bode als Impulsgeber.

Circular Living im SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA

In the heart of the Black Forest, in picturesque Bad Herrenalb, a pioneering vision has become reality. Stephan Bode, the managing owner of the SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA Hotel, had a clear desire to take the topic of sustainability to a new level and act as a pioneer in the transition to a circular economy. Stephan Bode had already been working intensively for several years on his visionary concept of “Circular Living”, which puts the principles of the circular economy and cradle-to-cradle into practice. When redesigning the hotel rooms, the aim was to create a closed-loop process that does not allow any waste to be produced. In the new rooms at the SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA hotel, 100 per cent of the materials are fully recycled at the end of their useful life. After renovating the first rooms, Stephan Bode recognised the importance of sharing this revolution worldwide. RITTWEGER + TEAM, the strategic partner, already provided support in the development of “Circular Living”.

First GreenSign Circular certification in the SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA

On 19 November 2023, the Hotel SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA was the first of its kind to receive GreenSign Circular certification in the area of modernisation. This award followed an in-depth assessment of the 24 renovated rooms, which follow the circularity concept. The evaluation included criteria such as material health, manufacturing processes, the degree of decarbonisation of the product and company, circularity and compliance with social standards. Water quality, soil quality and biodiversity were also assessed. The test criteria differ from conventional methods, as they not only emphasise the ecology and energy efficiency of premises and buildings, but also take a holistic, life cycle-oriented approach. This certification confirms the Hotel SCHWARZWALD PANORAMA as a quality feature that not only guarantees value stability but also sustainability.

Planning for the next GreenSign Circular certification in the area of new construction is already in full swing. The Inara Suites are currently being built as an extension to the Seehotel Wiesler – a new apartment building with two condominiums and four guest rooms. This future-oriented living concept, which harmonises comfort and a connection to nature, is expected to be completed in summer 2024.”

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